Combined packing and display case



J. M.. SHAWVAN AND H. A. SHOLES. C 0 M B I N E D P A C K l N G A N D D I S P L A Y CASE.

APPLICATION FLED.AUG.30,19I9 I 1,335,397. Patented Mar.30,1920.

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COMBINED PACKING AND DISPLAY `CASE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.30, 1.9I'9'.

'1335,3*9"7,. Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

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JOI-IN`MURAT SHAXYVVAN, OF JNESVILLE, WISCONSIN, AD HARRY SI'IOIJES, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED PACKING AND DISPLAY CASE.

Specification or" Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed August 3G, 191.9. Serial No. 320,933.

various purposes, but which is particularly.

packing and display adapted to be used as a flower or vegetable case for packages of seeds. l

Qur invention contemplates a case of this kind provided with a series of removable trays adapted to. hold a large number of packages of seeds so that the trays may be stored awayin the case in compact form for shipment or storage. The trays are arranged so that the retail merchant may display the goods by placing the trays one above the other on suitable brackets, each bracket being formedwitha series of steps. The packages bear pictorial representations of various flowers and vegetables, and in order to display the packages the trays must be made shallow. The depth of the trays is usually less than one-half the height of the seed packages and when so constructed there is a space between the trays when they are placed on the brackets. In replacing the packages, some of them are likely to slip through between the trays unnoticed and fall into the case where they are likely lto remain until the trays are placed into the case for shipment ,or storage. The prima y object of our invention is to construct the trays so that the packages cannot slip vthrough between them, which result preferably is accomplished by making the back wall of each tray approximately equal in height to ythe height of the packages so that its upper edge is substantially even with the upper edge of the front of the tray ljust above it and providing the wallwith clips adapted to engage the top edge of the front wall of the tray next above, the clips on the highest tray engaging suitable hooks on the cover of the case or hooking over the edge thereof. Moreover by so constructing the backs of the trays the insertion of packages taken out and afterward replaced is facilitated. y

further object of our invention is to provide in a case of this kind novel and imn proved constructions between the extremities of the trays and the supporting brackets so that the trays will not tilt, but will be rigidly retained in proper position. llfhen assembled on the brackets the trays are locked together and are preferably arranged so that they cannot be removed except in the order in which they are placed on the brackets.

Our invention consists in the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed, for carrying out the above stated objects, and such other objects as will appear from the following description.

The invention is illustrated in certain preferred embodiments in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a case embodying the principles of our invention,

the seed trays being packed within the case;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the case, the trays being removed and one of the supporting brackets being` raised and locked to the cover of the case;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the case showing the trays placed on the supporting brackets for display purposes;

Fig. l is a perspective view of one of the trays;

Figs. 5 and 6 respectively are sectional views taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the top tray showing the supporting clips thereof hooked over the edge of the cover of the case.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views. l

The combined packing and display box comprises a box lO provided with a cover 11 hingedly connected thereto, supporting end brackets 12, and a plurality of'trays 13. rllhe lsupporting brackets 12 are preferably hingedly connected tothe bottom of the box and are held in upright position by means of a hook 14 pivotally connected thereto and adapted to engage the eye 15 secured to the cover 11. As shown on Figs. 1 and 2, the

Vsirpporting brackets 12 are adapted to fold The tri ys 13, 18 are preferably construct- Y ed alike, both ends of each tray being provided with horizontal cleats 16 which are adapted to bear against the cleats 17 carried by the supporting brackets 12. The back wall 18TL of each tray extendsY upwardly to a height approximately equal to the height of the packages of seeds.

The wall 13a is provided with a plurality of clips 18 which are adapted to engage or slip over the' top edge of the front wall of the tray next aboveas shown in Fig. 8. The supporting brackets 12 are preferably provided with cleats 19 which are parallel to Vthe cleats 17, the cleats 19 being omitted,

however, from the lowest step, so that the lowest tray 'may Abe dropped into place, Since the seed packages are of uniform size, the trays are preferably provided with thin dividing walls 20, thus providing a plurality of pockets in each tray.

The trays are arranged to display the packages of seeds as follows: The top tray is placed so that the cleats 16 will slip in between the cleats 17V and 19 of the supporting brackets 12 and the clips 18 are hooked over the retaining member 21 secured to the cover 11. The second and third trays are placed on the .brackets 12 in the same marmer, the clips 18 of each traf# engaging' the top edge of the front wall of the tray-next above. The last tray is then placed down on the cleats 17 of the brackets 12 and the clips 18 carried thereon are hooked over the top edge of the front wall of the tray just above. `When thus assembled the trays are securely retained in proper position on the supporting brackets and are locked to each other. The cleats 19 make it. impossible to remove the trays except by taking out the last tray I'irst and the other trays in succession.

The. case and trays may be made of any suitable material, but are preferably formed of sheet metal, the various cleats and clips being held in place by means of solder.

If desired, the retaining member 21 may be omitted and the clips 18 carried by the top tray may be hooked over the edge of the cover as shown in Fig.'7.

The walls 13a effectively close the gaps or spaces between adjacent trays so that it is impossible for a package of seeds to slip through between the trays and fall into the case. If a` package is taken out and afterward replaced itis quite natural to insert it back of the other packages in the compart-v ment where it belongs. When this is done tom o the case.

We claim: Y

1. A display case for seed packages and the like comprising a plurality of trays, up-

v right members at the endsl of the trays, and Y means thereon for supporting the trays so that they stand one back of and against another and at successively higher levels; the back walls of the trays being enough wider package between the trays and into the bot- Y than the front walls thereof so that the np-V per edge of the back of each tray extends substantially to the upper edge of the front of the tray just above it, whereby the back of each tray provides an unobstructed guide surface for facilitating the insertion of packages into the tray.

2. A display case for seed packages and the like comprising a plurality of trays, upright members at the ends of the trays, means thereon for supporting the trays so that they stand one back of and against another and at successively higher levels; the back walls of the trays being venough wider than the front walls thereof so that the upper edge of the back of each tray eX- tends substantially to the upper edge of the front of the tray just above it, and means on the back walls of the trays for engaging the front walls of the respectively adjacent trays.

8. A display case for seed packages andV the like comprising in combination a box, having a hinged cover, stepped tray supports hinged to the ends of the boxjand adapted to be engaged with the cover when supports and cover are in vertical position, a plurality of trays adapted to be carried by said supports so that the trays stand one back of andV against another and at successively higher levels, the back walls of the trays being enough wider than the front walls thereof, so that the upper edges of the backs `of the trays extend substantially to the upper edges rot the fronts of the trays just above them respectively, and clips for engaging the back wall of the upper tray to said cover and the back wall ofl each other tray to the front wall of the tray just above it.

l 4.' A display case for seed packages and the like comprising in combination a box provided with a back member and end members, a plurality of trays, means for sup- 1,335,397 e l f 8 porting said trays on said end members soy that they stand one back of and against the Y other and at successively higher levels, the

back Walls of the trays being enough Wider than the front Walls thereof so that said back Walls extend up substantially to the upper edges of the front Walls of the adjacent 

